Jauan Jennings won’t play Sunday in Chicago, and the Minnesota Vikings may feel his absence more in Aaron Jones Sr.’s rushing lanes than in Carson Wentz’s passing menu. The Vikings’ Week 2 injury picture lists Jennings out for a non-injury-related personal matter, Kyler Murray out with a concussion, and Jordan Mason already on injured reserve.
According to Ben Goessling, a close family loss will keep Jennings out. The Vikings’ game-plan problem is peanuts compared to Jennings’ loss, but the Vikings still have to replace his contributions beyond the passing game.
Wentz is the obvious focus because he’s starting for Murray. Yet he threw three touchdown passes in relief against Green Bay while Jennings finished with no catches. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson still give Wentz answers at every level. Kevin O’Connell can redistribute Jennings’ lone Week 1 target without redrawing the passing offense.
Minnesota Vikings face a tougher run-game fix without Jauan Jennings
Jennings ran 19 routes in the opener and aligned in the slot on 71 percent of his snaps, according to PFF. That deployment put him near linebackers, safeties, nickelbacks, and the edge of the formation, where his 212-pound body can change a run. On Jones’ three-yard score, Jennings pinned Green Bay’s edge defender while Christian Darrisaw and Max Bredeson cleared the rest of the way.
Jennings didn’t catch a pass, but his block helped put Jones in the end zone.
New Vikings WR Jauan Jennings (14) had 0 catches Sunday on 1 target, but he showed the blocking skills coaches have been talking about on Aaron Jones' TD run. Picture perfect seal of Packers DE Barryn Sorrell (99). pic.twitter.com/fSl6q2qORa
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) September 14, 2026
The new Vikings receiver's absence goes beyond receiver depth because Minnesota will lean harder on Jones. The Vikings placed Mason on injured reserve after he handled most of the Week 1 carries. Jones now projects as the lead runner ahead of rookie Demond Claiborne and DeeJay Dallas. At 31, Jones can still make a defender miss. Jones also logged six pass-protection reps against Green Bay, per PFF, so his Week 2 workload won’t be confined to handoffs. Minnesota can’t give Jones extra carries and leave him dodging defenders in the backfield.
O’Connell has replacements, though none offers the same package. Addison can absorb inside routes while Tai Felton or Myles Price works outside. Josh Oliver and Bredeson can add muscle in 12 or 21 personnel, packages with two tight ends or two backs, but heavier groupings can tip the run and remove a route runner. Neither Felton nor Price has proved he can duplicate Jennings’ edge work. Jefferson is a willing blocker, but Minnesota won't use the league’s best receiver for Jennings’ grunt work.
Jennings’ absence still hurts Wentz, since frame and catch strength are useful on third downs and in contested areas, and Chicago can shade more coverage toward Jefferson and Addison. One catchless game doesn’t erase that receiving value. It does show where Minnesota has proven alternatives.
Chicago just scored 59 points, so Minnesota can’t assume it’ll play from ahead and run all afternoon, which would leave Jones with less room to breathe. Carolina averaged 5.7 yards per carry against Chicago in Week 1, giving Minnesota a solid reason to lean on Jones and keep pressure off Wentz. O’Connell entered Week 1 weighing both backs; now Mason’s thumb injury removes the powerful half of that pairing, while Jennings’ absence takes away one of the blockers who made the plan work.
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